September Art Auction Lot 63 - Orchard by Alicia Boyle
Alicia Boyle (1908-1996) was born in Bangkok, Thailand. Her family returned to Limavady in 1909 then later moved to London in 1920. During her childhood, Boyle began painting the surrounding landscapes of her home and was heavily inspired by her family’s keen interest in art, literature, and theatre. She attended the Clapham School of Art followed by the Byam Shaw School of Drawing and Painting under F. Ernest Jackson. While still a student, she completed a mural for the nurses’ home lounge at the Great Ormand Street Hospital and produced commercial designs for posters and wrappers.
In 1932, Boyle first exhibited with the Royal Academy. In 1939, she accepted an offer from the Greek government to be an artist in residence on the island of Mykonos. During this time, she also travelled between London and Ireland while continuing to paint. From 1940, Boyle worked at Northampton High School for Girls, becoming a teacher of painting and drawing until 1951. She later acted as a visiting lecturer at West Sussex College and Farnham School of Art.
In 1945, the Peter Jones’ Gallery held Boyle's first solo exhibition, reviews praised ‘her expressive design [which] conveyed the joy of living’. Despite returning to London, she continued to visit and paint in Ireland, exhibiting with CEMA and sending work to the Irish Exhibition of Living Art during the 1950s.
In 1971, Boyle moved to Bantry and held further exhibitions in Ireland at the Cork Arts Society Gallery, Tom Caldwell Galleries, Unites Arts Club, and the Taylor Galleries. In 1983, ACNI held a retrospective of her work from 1938 onwards. In 1988, her paintings & drawings were shown at the Trinity Gallery, London, and the Irish Museum of Modern art in 1989. Her works are held in numerous public collections including the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Ulster Museum, National Gallery of Ireland and the National Self Portrait Collection of Ireland.
Primarily concerned with subjects of nature, Boyle’s aesthetic was influence by French schools of Fauvism and Impressionism, including artists such as Georges Rouault. Similarly, viewing Hokusai's work at the British Museum would also prove influential on Boyle’s interest in drawing. In Lot 63, Boyle’s skill for capturing movement is expressed through the lines of tree branches caught in a gust of wind. Such energy is matched with purple and pink surreal tones, adding to the overall expressive quality of her work and skill for capturing vitality across the landscape.
Alicia Boyle (1908-1996) was born in Bangkok, Thailand. Her family returned to Limavady in 1909 then later moved to London in 1920. During her childhood, Boyle began painting the surrounding landscapes of her home and was heavily inspired by her family’s keen interest in art, literature, and theatre. She attended the Clapham School of Art followed by the Byam Shaw School of Drawing and Painting under F. Ernest Jackson. While still a student, she completed a mural for the nurses’ home lounge at the Great Ormand Street Hospital and produced commercial designs for posters and wrappers.
In 1932, Boyle first exhibited with the Royal Academy. In 1939, she accepted an offer from the Greek government to be an artist in residence on the island of Mykonos. During this time, she also travelled between London and Ireland while continuing to paint. From 1940, Boyle worked at Northampton High School for Girls, becoming a teacher of painting and drawing until 1951. She later acted as a visiting lecturer at West Sussex College and Farnham School of Art.
In 1945, the Peter Jones’ Gallery held Boyle's first solo exhibition, reviews praised ‘her expressive design [which] conveyed the joy of living’. Despite returning to London, she continued to visit and paint in Ireland, exhibiting with CEMA and sending work to the Irish Exhibition of Living Art during the 1950s.
In 1971, Boyle moved to Bantry and held further exhibitions in Ireland at the Cork Arts Society Gallery, Tom Caldwell Galleries, Unites Arts Club, and the Taylor Galleries. In 1983, ACNI held a retrospective of her work from 1938 onwards. In 1988, her paintings & drawings were shown at the Trinity Gallery, London, and the Irish Museum of Modern art in 1989. Her works are held in numerous public collections including the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Ulster Museum, National Gallery of Ireland and the National Self Portrait Collection of Ireland.
Primarily concerned with subjects of nature, Boyle’s aesthetic was influence by French schools of Fauvism and Impressionism, including artists such as Georges Rouault. Similarly, viewing Hokusai's work at the British Museum would also prove influential on Boyle’s interest in drawing. In Lot 63, Boyle’s skill for capturing movement is expressed through the lines of tree branches caught in a gust of wind. Such energy is matched with purple and pink surreal tones, adding to the overall expressive quality of her work and skill for capturing vitality across the landscape.
